Chapter 2: Step Into My Parlor
On Halloween night, Amanda was nervous about leaving the boys and their friends alone, even for just a few minutes, especially with KGB agents and a possible assassin in the neighborhood. Of course, she was the one going to face down the Russians. The boys would be perfectly safe in the house, watching their monster movies.
Somehow, tonight's mission seemed scarier for taking place on Halloween. Amanda wasn't sure why. There was nothing even remotely supernatural about the KGB. Maybe it was just her imagination acting up. All the costumed kids and spooky decorations were getting to her.
She looked in on the little group gathered in the family room. The boys were all happily eating popcorn and laughing at the monsters on the screen. They didn't seem to be spooked by the movies at all. Philip flicked a piece of popcorn at his friend Tommy, and Tommy flicked one back at him.
Before the boys could start a food fight, Amanda said, "No throwing popcorn, boys. Remember, if you make a mess, you'll have to clean it up."
"Okay," Philip said, turning back to the movie.
Taking a deep breath, Amanda added, "I have to step out for a minute. We're running low on candy, and I have to get some more."
"Already?" Jamie asked, frowning.
"I must not have picked up as much as I thought," Amanda said quickly. "There's still some in the candy bowl, so I'd appreciate it if you boys would listen for the door and pass out candy while I'm gone."
"Sure, mom," Philip said.
"I won't be gone long, so you fellas behave yourselves."
"Okay," the boys said. Their eyes were still glued to the tv.
"I don't want to come back and find out that you slipped out to t.p. someone's yard or something."
"We wouldn't do that, Mom!" Jamie protested.
"No, I didn't think so," Amanda said. "I just had to make sure." She knew her boys were pretty good, but even good kids could get up to pranks on Halloween.
"If you need any help before I get back, you can always ask Buck."
Buck liked the boys and sometimes came over to help them with little projects. He was rather like a kid himself. He had come over earlier in the day to show off the costume he was planning to wear while handing out candy and was disappointed that the boys weren't going to be trick-or-treating. Still, he was, in theory, an adult. If the boys really needed help, he could probably help them. Probably. Amanda certainly hoped it wouldn't come to that.
Amanda quietly slipped out of the house. Hopefully, she would be back soon to make sure that the boys didn't pig out too much on junk food.
The listening device Lee had given her was inside her purse.
Knowing that he was already listening on the other end, Amanda said softly, "I'm on my way."
The neighborhood was livelier than usual with costumed trick-or-treaters roaming from house to house. A couple of neighbors waved to Amanda from across the street, and Mrs. Brody said "Happy Halloween" as she passed by with her three children.
As she headed for the Russian safe house, Amanda worried that someone would ask her what she was doing out on Halloween night without her children.
"I'm a little old to be trick-or-treating," Amanda thought wryly.
But, everyone was so busy looking after young children or admiring Halloween decorations that no one gave her a second look.
Amanda paused on the sidewalk in front of 4242 Maplewood Drive. Some children were coming away from the door.
"I can't believe that all they're giving out is Gobbie Gummies!" a little witch grumbled as she passed Amanda.
"That's all they handed out last year, too!" the pirate with her complained. "That's the last year we go to this house!"
Next year, there would probably be new neighbors who would hand out better candy, Amanda thought, although she couldn't say so.
The house looked pretty much like any other house on the block, although there were no jack-o-lanterns or other decorations, nothing that indicated they were celebrating Halloween.
Summoning up her courage, Amanda went up and knocked on the door.
The man she knew as Bob Smith answered, holding a bowl of candy. He was surprised to see Amanda.
"Hi!" Amanda said cheerfully. "I live just down the street, and I was wondering if you could help me."
"Yes?" Bob said, looking her up and down suspiciously.
"My phone isn't working, and I was wondering if I could borrow yours to call the phone company." Her first lie of the evening.
"I'm sorry, but you cannot come in," Bob said, starting to close the door.
"Please?" Amanda asked plaintively. "I've already tried at three other houses. One house was having a party, and it was so noisy, I couldn't even get them to hear me, and two others said that their phones weren't working either." Her second lie of the evening.
"Our phone isn't working, either," Bob also lied, trying to close the door on Amanda once again.
"Yes, it is," another voice inside the house said. Behind Bob, another man, much more handsome, stepped into view. "Let her in."
"We don't want visitors," Bob said, a note of warning in his voice.
"It would not hurt to let her into the house for a few minutes to use the telephone," the more handsome man said. Bob spoke with an American accent, but the handsome man did not.
Bob reluctantly stepped aside to let Amanda into the house.
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK
Lee watched from the Agency van as Amanda left her house and made her way over to 4242 Maplewood Drive. He was still angry at Billy for insisting that Amanda go to that house alone with a dangerous killer there. He understood his reasons, but he didn't have to like them.
It rankled, too, that Billy apparently lacked faith in his disguise abilities. Emily had drummed the fine arts of disguise and play-acting into his head not long after he became an agent, and he was very good at them, if he did say so himself. In fact, he had come on the mission in disguise just in case Amanda needed him to come rescue her.
"Dressing up again this year, Scarecrow?" Fred Fielder said with a cheeky smile.
Lee refused to dignify that with a response. Sending Fielder on this mission was something else that Lee had trouble forgiving Billy for. The main reason for his presence was that he was unmarried and had no children. Single guys with no families tended to get assigned to missions that took place on holidays.
Billy kept hinting to Lee that if he got married and settled down with a family, he could get more holidays off, but Lee tried not to dignify that with a response, either. It was probably just as well. The last thing Lee wanted was to leave Amanda at the mercy of guys like Fielder. Although, the last time Billy had said it, Lee couldn't help but think that if he did get married and not have to work on holidays, his wife would also spend the holidays at home with him . . .
He smiled a little when Amanda softly told him through the listening device that she was on her way. He had no way of answering her, but he liked it that she thought of him.
Then, he tensed when he heard Victor's voice welcoming Amanda into the house. He'd heard that voice before while he was on a mission in Europe a few years ago, and he hadn't forgotten it. If that man did anything to hurt Amanda, this would be the last Halloween he'd ever see.
